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The broadcaster replied: "I don't really want to answer that because I don't think it's the moment for me."

Mr Jones, a former coal miner and construction worker, said he had friends who worked hard all their lives and had nothing to show for it, adding: "How can you justify the amount of money you are earning?"

He called for all those included in the list to have their pay docked, adding: "All of you grossly grossly overpaid."

Earlier Vine himself had demanded to be told why he is being paid so much as he interviewed the director of radio at the BBC, James Purnell.

Vine asked for justification for his own salary, which is within the £700,000-£749,999 bracket.

Vine told the caller "I just feel very lucky every day" (Image: PA)

Vine himself had demanded to be told why he is being paid so much as he interviewed the director of radio at the BBC, James Purnell (Image: REUTERS)

Mr Purnell said: "You're a fantastic broadcaster, you provide a huge public service.

He wrote on Twitter they get "exactly the same" pay for presenting the morning news show, but he earns more because of his additional work on Football Focus.

BBC presenter Andrew Marr defended his £400,000-a-year salary and claimed he has turned down higher offers from the broadcaster's rivals.

The former political editor said his pay had been steadily decreasing and had dropped £139,000 in the past two years.

A number of other BBC talent celebrated their lack of inclusion by sharing posts on Twitter with the hashtag #NotOnTheList.

The BBC has faced a huge public backlash after it revealed its highest-paid stars are raking in millions each year - and the gender pay gap is still too wide for comfort.

Detailed analysis of the figures unveiled shows over two-thirds of the top earners are men, with the highest-paid man - Chris Evans - trousering £1.5million MORE than the highest-paid woman, Claudia Winkleman.